Beginning of the End
by Oerba Dia Kiri-Ki
Summary: Lightning heard a nasty rumor about her lover, Fang. What happens when she confronts the Pulsian, and a fight ensues that starts a series of events the soldier can't stop? Rated M for future acts of violence. FangRai/FLight.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's notes**: This is just the start of a long, thought out story line revolving around Fangrai that me and my new partner (LightningFarr0n) have finished planning in the past couple of weeks. We've worked really hard on this story so far, and hope other people enjoy it as much as we do with writing it.

**Disclaimer**: As usual, we do not own Lightning Farron, Yun Fang, or anything else related to Final Fantasy XIII.

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The rumblings from the sky above shook the home, the walls quivering as they shook with the strong force. Lightning remained still in the dark space, silence swirling around her since Fang was still out for the night. Hearing the droplets of rain splash the side of the building, she paced over to the window, her aqua orbs following the droplets as they slid effortlessly down the other side of the glass. She seemed to be focused, deep in a train of thought as she waited for the brunette to return from her duty. She knew the pulsian had agreed to helping out with the bar since the winds floating into town were of gale force, ripping into anything that came into their path. Lightning had agreed that the extra hand at the bar would have been appreciated by Lebreau and she knew her significant other didn't mind lending a hand. She had learned many different things while being committed in a relationship with Fang, but one thing remained the same; the huntress was always willing to go out of her way to help another.

The small droplets began to rush quicker against the glass, slipping down to the point where they were no longer visible and only splashes of rain graced the clear surface. She clenched her jaw slightly, her mind beginning to churn like clockwork; each wheel spinning in different directions at the recent piece of information she had received concerning the brunette who currently held her heart. Pacing into the kitchen, she needed a glass of water to try and recollect her thoughts. There was no way, absolutely no way that Fang would have done what she had heard through the grapevine. Besides, the pinkette seemed to be too logical to even consider the mere thought of agreeing with a rumor.

However, this particular rumor had her head spinning. Someone had insisted that they had seen Vanille around town with Fang in a sense that was much closer than usual. Lightning knew that the two had always had a close relationship, but she figured that Fang was more committed to their relationship than to be seen making out with Vanille. Not only that, but the brunette had spent late nights away from home lately and it had Lightning second guessing her '_jobs_'. She was becoming insecure because she knew that her relationship with Fang would never amount to the deepness she shared with Vanille. She hated the jealous that coursed through her veins; a feeling she had never felt before concerning a love interest.

It was almost ironic for her to be pouring herself a glass of water since the rain was sloshing against the window outside, swallowing the home entirely. Her palms leaned against the counter in front of the sink, a glass sitting neatly nearby as she reached out with a free hand and flicked on the faucet. Placing the cup under the water that began to drizzle she filled her cup enough to satisfy her dry mouth. Snapping it off once more, Lightning gulped down the water in a needy fashion. _There's **no** way. It couldn't be true could it?_ Her grip tightened on the glass, lightly cracking it before she snapped out of thought and placed it back idly on the counter.

Outside rumblings of thunder echoed throughout the darkened pulsian sky, as droplets started off hitting the ground softly but quickly turning into a downpour. The huntress had got caught in the middle of it, though thankfully wasn't too far from their shared home. Wiping the water from her face, Fang shielded her eyes to see where she was going - since visibility was anything but good now

It took roughly ten minutes to get from the NORA bar, back to the familiar setting that marked the front of the house. Leaning against the front door now with a hand on the wooden surface, jade eyes would glance back over her shoulder at the storm. It was strange, as the storm had come out of nowhere despite forecasts calling for a clear day. She kind of regretted helping Lebreau prepare the bar for the damaging wind and the like now, but she couldn't just leave knowing the woman needed help. Besides, that's what friends were for, right? Even if she was extremely late in returning home for the evening - not that the weather had helped either.

Twisting the doorknob, Fang finally let herself inside and promptly closed the door behind her. At first she thought the electricity had gone out, but noticed the light she had left on in the kitchen was still on. However, a certain pink haired woman was no where to be seen, which was highly unusual. "—_Sunshine?_" The pulsian called out, while peering down the nearby hall that led to their bedroom. There was no light shining under the door, so Lightning was more than likely not in there, not to mention she never went to bed without knowing Fang had gotten home.

Movement in the kitchen caught her attention, and she took a few steps towards the entrance to the room and peered inside. Well, she had finally found the woman, but a wave of uneasiness washed over her as something seemed really off with the roseate. "—Ay… Light, you okay..?"

A lump formed in Lightning's throat and she swallowed it down quickly, forcing herself to get a grip. Lowering her head, she stared at the floor beneath her feet, not responding as the brunette called out to her. However, the other woman found her in the kitchen but easily noted her uneasy stance. Her gaze rose to her pulsian, her hues darker than usual as her face remained blank. "How could you?" She wondered out loud, her voice rather quiet but strong enough it was audible above the rumbling of the thunder echoing in the silent home.

A thin brow was raised while a puzzled look settled over the pulsian's face, more than a little confused as to what exactly Lightning had meant by her words. How could she… What? Fang's mind was racing, trying to figure out the answer to something she should supposedly know. Was Lightning referring to how long it had taken her to get back home, despite the fact fortifying the bar had taken well over the previously thought hours to accomplish? No… It couldn't be that of all things, or at least she thought as mossy green orbs studied the pinkette's face. They both had known she'd have been back late, regardless of when the storm actually hit. Lebreau didn't have much else help beside her, as the usual NORA boys were on some weird trip with Snow for the time being. Still, the whole thing made no sense, and she could only tilt her head to the side to convey her confusion even more.

Slightly paling olive lips pursed into a line while the woman contemplated things, though her train of thought was disturbed by a drop of water falling off her soaked head. Fang blinked slowly, and glanced over her shoulder at the front door - and the trail of water she had tracked in, while trying to get out of the storm. Now that had to be it! If there was one thing Lightning hated more than anything, was her tracking water, mud, or whatever else into the house and all over her clean carpeting.

Fang glanced back towards her partner, giving Lightning an apologetic look and rubbing at the back of her head with a hand awkwardly. "—Er… 'm sorry bout the mess, Sunshine. It's jus' really comin' down out there, ya know? I'll clean it for ya so ya don't need.. to.. uh… Light?" Her voice trailed off, feeling the unease slowly creep back in. The expression on the roseate's face hadn't changed, and if anything it seemed a bit more upset than a second ago. The confused look from earlier swept back over Fang's face, who was completely lost now at what she could have done to be earning such treatment.

Taking a few steps forward, the huntress closed the distance between them , though leaving at least two feet for personal space. "—Lightning..? What's wrong with ya?" Fang eventually spoke up, not even sure what else to say at this point. The only things she could think of obviously weren't the reason the pink haired woman was upset, and there wasn't anything else off the top of her mind that could either. She reached a hand out towards Lightning, gently touching her shoulder. "Why are ya so mad… Huh?" There was a momentary pause, jade eyes meeting their cerulean counterparts." ..Ya know ya can tell me, right?"

Lightning watched as the pulsian's face became plagued with confusion. How could she be so confused over what she had done? It wasn't clicking in the rosette's mind but somehow the jealousy still consumed her rational train of thought. Her eyes followed the jade orbs, studying her partner's stance, her body language as she confronted her in a cryptic manner that left the huntress completely puzzled. God, how much she loved that look on Fang's face when she arched that eyebrow but this time it had her reeling with frustration. To think that the brunette could even act like she had done nothing wrong began to sink into her bones, twisting her mind process even further, changing into an aggravated state as she peered at the huntress.

She held her tongue, watching as the rain dripped off her lover's face and onto the distant floor, leaving a small imprint on the tan carpeting that lay beneath them. However, she remained silent as she continued to study the brunette and her features; looking for any sign to prove the rosette was right in where she stood with her anguish. Normally, she didn't allow for such foolish things to consume her sense of stability, but this was Fang; she was _allowed_ to be jealous, wasn't she? Later on, Lightning knew she'd be cursing herself for even raising the question in the first place, especially if she were in the wrong. In the moment, the ex-soldier felt like she was in the right and she had a stubborn way of thinking about things, especially when it came to those she trusted and when she felt betrayed.

Lightning's posture stiffened, regardless of the space left between the two of them. She could feel her stomach knotting up, her muscles tensing for the first time in along time as the stood before the beautiful huntress. She couldn't remember the last time she even felt this way in front of Fang; it was completely foreign to her as she tried to reel herself back in to the moment they were having. _What the hell is wrong with me?_ She simply seethed, scolding herself, her eyes shutting momentarily as she tried desperately to grasp for words that would even make the slightest of sense before she spoke. The last thing Lightning wanted to do was confuse the brunette further; or worse, enrage her.

Pursing her lips together into a thin line, she finally gained the courage to speak, despite Fang's soft words hitting her like a moving train as they had completely winded her. She yearned for the brunette's caress, the simplest of embraces to ease her confused heart and replace her confusion with love but she took a step backwards, allowing her body to remain tense and her face to remain blank. Her eyes traced the beaming green hues across the small space they shared, searching them for answers when she finally piped up. "_Vanille_, Fang." She simply spoke once more; there was no need for her to throw a temper tantrum like a teenager because they were both adults here.

Sure, the rumor she had heard seemed so trivial but it had been affecting her like a disease since she had learned of it. "How could you do that?" Her repetition of words more quiet this time. Though her face showed no emotion, inwardly she felt like she was breaking. "Did I not mean _anything_ to you?" She added after a momentary pause, her voice lowering into almost a whisper.

Fang didn't know how to react when her partner backed away, and it just further resulted in the confusion on her face to show more. Lightning had _never_ backed away before, even during the few previous times of being upset… She just never had. So what in Etro's name was prompting this sudden change? Even when the valkyrie had went as far to mention her sister pulsian, Fang still showed no sign of understanding of what the other was trying to get at.

"—What are ya even talkin' about? Do what? I don't understand, Light.." The huntress barely managed to get those last few words out, feeling suddenly out of air as it felt her chest was tightening and constricting in painful ways. Everything was hitting her at once now; shock, even more pain, and the words thrown at her had her mind spinning dangerously. Not mean anything to her? That was the biggest load of crap she had ever heard, and it hurt to know something had influenced her love enough for her to think such things. The hand that had previously lingered on Lightning's shoulder, now balled up and clenched into a fist from the brunette's emotions inwardly running wild.

Part of her wanted to scream, to dispel whatever cloud had shrouded over the roseate to believe such nonsense. But, Fang just swallowed hard, and grit her teeth until her emotions settled down enough for her to speak. "—That's… That's _not_ true, Sunshine. Ya mean _everything_ to me, an' ya should know that." She paused though, thinking back to what Lightning had said a few moments before. _Vanille?_ How exactly did she tie into all of this? It had been a couple days since Fang had seen the younger red head anyway, and they had simply spent the afternoon catching up. Which wasn't weird, given how close they were, but there was no way this could have set the other female off… Could it have? They both knew just how important Vanille was to Fang, even if they didn't see each other much now as they used to - because they both had a new life, and were eager to live them.

Viridian hued eyes finally stared directly into light azure, as if to decode all the emotions swirling behind those beautiful shades of blue. "_Claire_, ya goin' to need to make more sense than that… Why bring Vanille into this, eh? She's not part of this relationship last I checked." A light huff escaped her then, not even bothering to notice how her body was now trembling. Whether from being soaked too long, her emotions triggering such things, or just a combination of the two she couldn't tell at this point.


	2. Chapter 2

The huntress was genuinely confused and Lightning could sense that. However, now she had brought up a situation that was completely unavoidable, opening a can of worms that begged to have release. The roseate was suddenly more aware of her breathing; more aware of her nervous heartbeat and her stiff stance. She tried to swallow down her pride but found it eagerly overcoming her body as she caved to it, succumbing to the fear that was fogging up her clarity. Her hazy azure hues met Fang's, desperately trying to read her mind as more confusion pulsated through her bloodstream. She clenched her own jaw once the brunette spoke up, reiterating words that Lightning knew were all too true. _Why am I suddenly doubting her? She's always remained faithful.._ Her heart felt like it was shattering as fragile as glass dropping onto a concrete surface; she wanted to believe Fang but everything within her body counteracted her will to think with a clear head.

Cerulean eyes noted the brunette clenching her fist and she forced down another thick lump in her throat. _What an idiot I am to even question the relationship between the two of them.. I should know better than this._ Her limbs suddenly felt heavier, her legs threatening to buckle under her weight but Lightning remained in place, standing her ground firmly. She had never been one to show her weakness and here she was, a big mess for the brunette who rested utterly blindsided before her. Her gaze turned more apologetic than she had believed, but uncertainty still swam within her glossy orbs. Lightly, her tongue poked out of her mouth as she wet her lower lip, her mouth becoming parched like before. This was all too much to deal with and the ex-soldier could feel her sense of comfort being sucked away from every mere second that ticked by and the two of them remained torn.

Stubbornly, she refused to yield so easily to her lover, a ping of guilt washing over her. As the huntress turned the conversation back onto the redheaded woman, she felt the jealousy circulate into her blood once more; infecting Lightning's train of thought once again. _Claire.._ The name spoken from the brunette's velvet lips only left her feeling less content. Fang knew how much the roseate hated being called Claire and at one point she had entrusted herself just that much to the brunette; she had given her everything. What was it going to take to persuade her to believe that Vanille wasn't that person for her girlfriend and that her partner only longed for her? "Someone.." Lightning began, trying to find the right words.

Emotion began to seep through her blank expression, her face beginning to scrunch ever so slightly as she collected the words she needed from her thoughts. Slowly, she turned her back, her shoulder only facing the brunette; Claire was too afraid to show Fang this weakness that resided within herself. "Someone saw you _with_ her." The woman finally enlightened the other as a single solitary tear graced her cheek and plummeted towards the carpet. Her voice remained frail, crippled with a hurtful tone behind it while her eyes traced the wall that now filled her vision pool. "The other day… they saw you with her." She clarified, hoping she wouldn't have to explain it any further because she was already about to break down and anymore of this and she'd be vulnerable in front of the woman; vulnerability being something she hated someone else seeing. It was a side of her she had since long strayed from, but this situation with Fang was bringing it all back to her in an instant. A tidal wave was ripping through the strong walls that had taken years for Lightning to build, causing her to feel dizzy as she worried her sense of balance would soon be gone.

The look she had earned by using Lightning's real name hadn't gone unnoticed, but frankly Fang didn't care much at this point. She had only resorted to it, solely to show that she had been pushed a bit too far, despite knowing how much the woman may detest the usage of the name tied to her at birth. Perhaps she may have been a little hasty it doing so, but somewhere in the back of Fang's mind she had figured being a bit stern would somehow end… Whatever this was that was going on between them.

She let out an exasperated sigh though, the second after the pinkette had turned away from her and literally gave her the cold shoulder. Was it really that hard to look at her now? To stare each other down eye to eye like they had times before, and work out this little spat? Jade eyes narrowed a fraction, herself intent of voicing her thoughts - but stopped in her tracks, as she had been beaten to speaking. Someone had seen her with Vanille? Fang's expression fell blank, herself being totally dumbfounded now by the realization that her sister pulsian was what Lightning had been upset about. But why? Just because they had spent time together, after being apart for what had seemed like forever?

Lips parted in attempt to speak up once again, but she ended up being distracted by the very faint sound of something wet hitting the kitchen floor. Green eyes peered downwards, scanning with ease until they found what they had been searching for. Lightning was… Crying? Or barely starting to at least, but just the thought of the woman being this on edge made the knot in her chest tighten more. Fang wanted to - no, _needed_ to - reach out and comfort her love, do anything in her power to stop the pain obvious in her body language. But she couldn't. The huntress knew better than to invade Lightning's space right now, even though the urge to was hard to resist.

Her nose crinkled slightly, thinking on what Lightning meant by someone had seen the pulsians together. Fang couldn't wrap her mind around this, that or there was something here she was missing. There was a tinge of guilt at not mentioning in advance that Vanille was going to be around, and had wanted to spent time with her. And perhaps assuming the Farron would be okay with it might have crossed a line or two. But this was Vanille they were talking about - possibly the only other person that meant everything to her because of reasons everyone already knew.

"—Sunshine… I don't get it. What's so wrong about spendin' time with Vanille? Ya have _never_ had a problem with it before… I mean, yeah I guess it was a bad move on my part, not mentionin' she was gonna be visitin'… But, really, I don't see why ya gotta be so upset about it.."

The tension hanging around the two of them was suffocating. The questions that Fang returned only spun Lightning's mind further, wishing she had never brought up the topic to begin with. However, she couldn't backtrack; there was no way around the words she had already spoken and the pain she had already created. It was obvious how much her partner was hurting because the roseate was hurting just as bad; if not more. Her back remained turned, Lightning was afraid that if she faced Fang just once more she would clearly break. Her initial thought was that this conversation would have been the exact opposite as it currently was. When she had processed it the prior evening, Lightning figured they would have casually talked it over, embracing each other afterwards while she expressed her insecurities and Fang deflected them. It was going all wrong and she couldn't put her finger on why she had suddenly become such a mess. Curling her own fist, she rammed it into the counter top in frustration, the small thud echoing between them while the rain outside beat against the window.

Fang flinched at the echoed that filled the room, and mixing in with the rumbling of the storm outside. This was a first, and she was honestly at a loss of what to do. Lightning had _never_ gotten this angry before, at least with her, to where she would assault the counter top - or any part of their home for that matter - in such a display. Frankly things were starting to get a bit out of hand, but the huntress knew nothing could get better unless this problem was cleared up. Whenever that would be, she couldn't tell anymore.

Shutting her eyes tightly, Lightning hung her head, trying to take a few deep breaths before proceeding with what she needed to tell the brunette. _Why is this so hard? I trust Fang. This is ridiculous._ Claire had always had it easy when it came to expressing what she needed to convey to others, but Lightning was a whole different story. Relaxing her hand, her palm lay idly on the counter as she seemed to grip at it for stability; that same dizzy feeling tugging at her limbs while she tried to come to grip with her feelings. Her shoulders slumped lightly in defeat as Fang pressed for more information; it was only natural that she needed to understand what Lightning had meant. The older Farron knew there was simply no way around it any longer. The huntress wasn't going to understand until she spat it out.

Peeling her eyes open, her hues remained on the floor, tracing random patterns into the carpet. The truth was that it had nothing to do with Vanille but rather the closeness that she shared with Fang. In a sense, the pinkette felt inferior to the redheaded bubbly girl. She had a deep history with Lightning's partner, at times a heart wrenching story in which the two always found each other in the end. Lightning had come to admire the strength Fang mustered up to keep Vanille safe; it reminded her of her own will to fight whenever anything came between her and Serah. Fang was always there for Vanille and she always would be, Lightning understood that on every level possible. "Fang, I've _always_ understood your relationship with Vanille." She agreed, knowing why her partner was so deeply troubled with confusion. Forcing herself to spin around, she finally faced the brunette with broken eyes. "I would _never_ doubt your loyalty to her." The woman finally added after a pause.

The moment cerulean eyes met viridian, time seemed to slow as Lightning admitted to always understanding her relationship with Vanille. The bits of relief Fang gained from those words however, were overshadowed by the pain laced into the valkyrie's voice though.

Allowing more oxygen into her lungs, Lightning readied herself to speak again though her tone was hesitant at best. "You have been through so much together, and you _know_ that I'd do nothing to disrupt that bond you share with her." She fought back the tears that clung to her tired eyes, and her body fought the desperation that tried to seep into her words. Finding the courage to continue on, her gaze never left the sorrowful hues that stared across at her. "Someone saw you with her; a closeness _more_ than just friends. You've been out late recently too, with Vanille."

"I get it." Lightning continued, her voice wary as she spoke while worry etched her face. "You've been through hell and back and that's a bond I'll never share with you. I understand if you want to be with her." Concluding her explanation, she wondered just what the huntress was going to respond with. Fear gripped her tighter, a feeling as if she were choking began to dance around in her throat. She felt like she was losing Fang and she couldn't stop it. She felt childish; like a jealous teenager who believed a rumor and not the person she claimed she was in love with. Lightning had lost a lot in life as it stood, and Fang was one thing she didn't want to lose; she wasn't prepared to lose her.

It really didn't help that Fang now found herself being accused of things she never did, especially with the person who was literally like a younger sister to her. The thought alone sent a chill up her spine, and the disgust she immediately felt left a nasty taste in her mouth. There was no way in Etro's name that would have ever happened, ever. Lightning should have known this, she should have known where her loyalties lay - not to mention her heart. But the fact that she was questioning her faith - and everything between them - had caused a jolt of pain to strike her chest - leaving her practically paralyzed for the moment.

The pain was unbearable, almost like she had been physically stabbed and the culprit was twisting and turning the blade continuously. Fang was vaguely aware of the sudden burning sensation emanating from her shoulder, but the thought was pushed away with many others as she fought for the ability to speak once more.

"Don't.. Don't ya _dare_ say that, Light!" The strength it took to spill the words caught in her throat was immense, but there was no was Fang was going to idly stand there and take this. "There ain't _nothin'_ goin' on between me an', Vanille.. Ya got that! To even suggest it is jus'.. Down right disgustin'." Those last few words ended in a slight hiss, making it more than obvious she had been pushed one too many times on the matter. "She's barely even in town as it is, remember? So to say I'm sneakin' out to be with her is wrong.. _So very wrong._ I thought ya _knew_ me better than this, Lightning.."

Lightning was foolish, and that was certain to her now. She had dared to believe someone else versus the woman she had come to have grown so closely and fondly of. When the huntress spoke up, she actually looked afraid at the tone of voice she was being spoken to in. Lightning shut her eyes as she listened to Fang, unable to stare back at her as the brunette explained her relationship with Vanille. She hung her head once more, a stray hand reaching out while she stepped closer to Fang. She needed to touch her; to be reminded that this was really happening and she needed the support. Her legs felt weak but she managed to reach her partner, her hand straying to the woman's shoulder, squeezing it for comfort though the emptiness that sat within her gut remained.

Fang's head was spinning now, and her vision blurred for a moment. She shook her head slightly, trying to regain her senses that were going out of control. "I.. I don't think ya really get it at all." The huntress let out a sigh, and with it almost all of her energy left her. Her body felt heavy, and the empty feeling in her chest was what was weighing her down. "—We may not have a bond like I share with 'Nille… But we still have somethin' strong.. Or, I thought we did, anyway. But.." Fang paused, screwing her eyes shut and drooping her head, while her body shook noticeably. "—If someone sayin' me huggin' an' kissin' Vanille's forehead, which is a pulsian custom no less, is gonna bother ya so much… Then maybe.." Her voice hitched slightly, the pain overwhelming her entirely. "Then maybe ya really _don't_ need me, like ya said before.."

"Fang.." Lightning clutched onto her for dear life, her mind losing more rational thought as the moment seemed to be sickeningly surreal; like it were a bad dream of some sort. The brunette wasn't finished of course and Lightning couldn't have expected anything less because the woman she had grown to love was nothing but a fighter. She was a woman of fierce independence and when she had something to say she said it. In a way, Lightning envied her to some degree, wishing she could be more like Fang in that sense. She looked up to the brunette on so many levels and here she was diminishing what they had built from the ground up with one silly rumor. She retracted her hand once Fang continued, only bringing it to her face and covering her mouth in stunned silence.

The huntress completely dismissed Lightning's ability to understand the bond she shared with Vanille and in the same moment doubted their own bond as a couple. It shredded her sense of stability, the roseate lowering her hand near her heart, her other hand joining it as she clutched onto her own chest; in a way she was hoping her heart would stop. To make matters worse, Fang deflected her own feelings when she mentioned that maybe Lightning didn't need her as much as she said. That was _far_ from the truth; Lightning needed Fang the way her lungs needed oxygen. She had become such a big part of the soldier's life after all her struggles had come to a standstill, and she was grateful to be settled down with Fang in New Bodhum.


	3. Chapter 3

If anyone had ever asked Lightning, she would have gone through hell again just to meet the brunette that stood before her. It was Fang she turned to after her new life had started and all the problems with the fal'Cie and the end of Cocoon had ceased. She clung to everything Fang had ever said to her, she embedded every smile and every laugh into her memory and her heart. The roseate had fallen madly for the huntress and it had taken plenty of time for her to even admit such feelings. "Fang.." she repeated, her voice broken for once. It was highly unlikely to see the former l'Cie in such a state and it proved how deeply and passionately she cared for the huntress. Her heart would always remain with Fang, no matter where life took her.

Her broken eyes returned to her significant other, another solitary tear dripping down her face once more as she searched her lover's gaze. She could see how broken Fang was, afraid that this was the end of everything they had built together. "How can you question how much I need you?" She wondered. Her rational train of thought figured Fang had said such out of anger as many people said things they didn't mean in an argument or fight. "I thought I made it clear to you the moment I asked for you to be this part of my life.. To be a part of me.." Trailing off, Lightning felt she was hitting rock bottom.

Her heart sank, her mind swimming with emotion as she tried to come to grips with what Fang was saying to her. Trembling with small shivers, the storm outside mimicked how torn her heart was beginning to feel. As the wind slapped the walls and the thunder crashed above, she finally tore her gaze and walked past the strong huntress. In the moment, she wanted nothing more than to run to Fang and be in those comforting arms but it was more than obvious that they needed space; she needed time to clear her mind and retrace her steps to find what exactly had led her to be this insecure.

Lightning's words echoed in her now empty mind, bombarding Fang over and over again until the urge to scream had resurfaced. How could she question the need the woman obviously showed for her? Fang knew that the love they shared was a force to be reckoned with, but it paled in comparison to what one little rumor could do in the matter of a few minutes. Perhaps she had gone too far with her words… But, at the same time having the other woman question her loyalty completely wasn't excusable either. She strained to see the roseate through her blurred vision then, barely pinpointing the tiny droplets. The tears staining her love's face didn't ease the tidal wave of emotions coursing through her, and at one brief moment the need to just embrace the other was great. Until she barely managed to register movement in front of her, and realized the familiar presence had literally brushed by her.

Freezing in her tracks, Lightning rose her head unwillingly to speak once more. "I'm taking my leave." Her voice shaky with regret as one of her fists curled once again. The frustration that ran through her caused her to clench it harder than usual, the pressure of her hand numbing her entire arm. "I think it's best if we have some space." She concluded though her mind screamed to stay. "_I_… _I'm sorry_," she muttered, a few more tears dropping off her silky skin before she continued her stride towards the door.

Propping it open, she was met with the darkness and the beating rain that began to pelt her as she exited the shared home. As more tears streamed her face, they no longer seemed so alone while the rain washed over her figure, engulfing her after she shut the door one last time. Her fingers lingered on the doorknob as her teeth grit together in disappointment. Lightning couldn't believe things had turned this way in a matter of minutes.

The huntress couldn't move though, rooted to the very spot she stood and unable to turn and watch the pink haired beauty walk away. I'm taking my leave. Just those few words along were like shoving another dagger through her chest, though the pain felt was nothing compared to what happened next. It was an almost inconceivable notion, the words that had even left Lightning's mouth, but they had.

_I think it's best if we have some space._

Fang hadn't even hear that quiet apology, as her inner being was falling into an unknown cold abyss. The ringing in her ears was deafening, and the pounding of her heart against her chest was unbearable. She could hardly even breathe, and any attempt was hampered by the sinking feeling that now engulfed her whole body. Though there was a very tiny ray of hope, one she desperately clung to in her time of need. In all their time together, and through all the little idiotic spats they had had… Lightning had never once up and left. _Never_. Hopefully it would be like those times, with the valkyrie locking herself in the bedroom or something to that effect. Giving them both time to calm down, reel in their emotions, and then talk calmly about whatever had occurred later that night.

She wasn't so lucky this night. The faint squeaking of the front door opening had almost been missed, but was made apparent when the booming and thundering outside became more audible through the house. At that moment, Fang used every bit of energy she had left to turn and face the door, to reach out and keep the woman there. Her body refused to respond to her desperation. And the moment that door shut behind Lightning, was the very same moment the last tendril of hope attached to Fang's heart was snapped in half.

Stumbling forward, calloused hands barely managed to grab a hold of the counter, the exact spot her beloved Claire had resided a few moments before. Fang could still feel the lingering warmth of her presence, and it was slowly driving her mad. _It was over_. Everything they had together, and all the things that could have happened… Shattered in an instant. Slowly, her anguish and despair were eating her alive, and there wasn't a damn thing she could do. Besides letting it consume what little was left of her.


	4. Chapter 4

Leaning over the smooth surface now, labored breathing racked Fang's core, and the burning sensation of her brand was becoming full blown. Her skin was on fire, and it felt like she had been set aflame, though there was nothing around that would aid in such a thing. Fang clenched her teeth and screwed her eyes shut, with pain assaulting her brain from every direction. What the hell was going on with her? She gripped at the flat counter top, needing something, anything, to stop the dizziness hitting her now. Viridian eyes eventually opened and stared at her hands - or rather, the crimson claws tearing through her fingers.

Confusion flooded her mind next, as she shook her head in attempt to rid herself of whatever it was that she was seeing. Sage hues focused back on her hand once more.. But nothing had changed. Her chest heaved, and she lurched forward raising a hand to get support from the wall itself. Soon the stench of burning wood wafted into her nose, and she scrunched her face as her gaze wandered over to where the palm of her hand rested on the way. Suddenly emerald orbs widened in shock; the tips of her fingers were long gone, and in their place stood five wickedly sharp talons - the ends of them so hot they were slowly burning holes into the wall.

_No… **No!** This can't be happening._ Her thoughts hit her like a train, and she staggered backwards a foot before letting out a pained scream. The shining brand etched into her skin suddenly glowed a bright array of colors, trapping her in it's hold. The rumbles of thunder barely overruled the snapping and popping of bones, as Fang's form was distorted and mangled plenty times over.

Snarling angrily; which had slipped out on it's own, the woman fought against the change with all her might. There was no way she would let Ragnarok have it's way; but alas, her broken heart was too far gone to stop the beast from taking over.

The luscious dual-toned hair that adorned her scalp looked as if it had caught on fire; the bright orange-ish red hues absorbing the color from chocolates locks, and imbuing the strands with living embers. A sudden painful jolt from her back nearly made her lose her footing, as much larger pieces of her once ruffled mane grew in size - curling every which way, and turning much more firm.

More bone snapping could be heard, as all the muscle, tissue, and bones rearranging themselves to accommodate for the length of flesh rapidly forming behind her. The forming tail protruding from her rear swung wildly, and smashed into the nearby kitchen table - destroying it in one go. Golden scales formed all the way from the base of the scaly appendage, all the way to the very tip before the six pronged end came into view. More scales, blood red in color, pushed through the flesh on the side. The hardened surface covering her tail didn't just end there, as it was spreading over her body like a wild fire. The pulsian's attire seemingly dissolved into nothingness, as the burning sensation overtook her abdomen and chest next; the scales ripping through her skin until they lay uniform and sleek.

Talons soon raked at the hardened skin of her shoulders, the huntress barely holding onto what humanity she had left from all the pain racking her very core. Despair was all she had left. The only thing Lightning had left her. It was the only thing keeping her human.

And she let it go.

The entirety of the side of the house exploded, broken bits of wood and whatever else that had previously been sitting in the tiled room were strewn across the ground.

"**_Graaaaaawwwrrrrrr!_**"

The no longer sane Fang roared into the night, while stretching her limbs under the downpour of rain. Faint hissing filled the air, as her fiery body evaporated the water upon contact. The beast grabbed hold of the edge of the roofing, pulling her hulking form over it with ease. Atop the home, the whole of New Bodhum was in view. Resting on her haunches, the beast peered out into the night; though visibility was not the greatest. Ruby eyes, that seemed on fire themselves, set their sights on the village off in the distance, only noticeable by the brightly shining lights that flickered in the storms wrath. Ragnarok leapt from it's spot on the roof, and crashed into the muddied earth in the front yard - oblivious to the roseate who lingered at the door still.

But as soon as she had come into view, Fang was gone - leaving the scene towards the center of the town, and wrecking havoc in her wake.


	5. Chapter 5

Lightning's eyes remained on the still door, the rain drenching her entire form as she stood there completely frozen. The only movement from her body was the quickened rising and falling of her chest, while she fought to stifle any sobs from escaping her trembling lips. What had she just done? The numbness sank into her bones, and Lightning felt like she was living in a moment she no longer found reality in. _Get a hold of yourself_, the roseate scolded herself. _You'll have a bit of breathing room and talk to her again. Everything will be right in the world and you'll patch it up in due time._ However, before she could begin to walk onward from the departure, the wood from the home began to splinter. Her ears heard a faint scream from in the home, but had no time to react when a sudden explosion on the side of the house caught her attention.

Reacting quickly with swift movement, she took a few strides backwards and her cerulean orbs fell upon the beast that sat at the top of the roof. _Fang!_ Her mouth slightly gaped open, stunned features tracing her face. The tears she had begun to weep moments before came to a halt while her stomach grew even sicker. This was going from bad to worse in a matter of seconds. Her eyes watched as Ragnarok Fang leapt from the building, the rain water sizzling against the beast's flesh as it landed on the muddied ground. Too stunned to say anything, she reluctantly took a few steps backward towards the door. Her already broken heart seemed to be falling further on a path of a downward spiral.

Lightning had no time to get Ragnarok's attention either, as it darted off towards the village. _This is all my fault.. If I had just kept my damn mouth shut and pushed my insecurities aside.. Fang wouldn't be suffering right now._ Shaking her head, her features while hurt changed to show her determination. Her stance became less weary and her glossy orbs glazed over with a fuel behind them. Raising a solitary fist, she balled it at her hip line, shutting her eyes temporarily as the rain washed over her. She allowed the water to course through her system, the sound of the storm to wash away her sadness briefly because Lightning had no time to dwell on her fight with Fang. People were going to be injured or killed if Ragnarok got too close and it was because of her. She owed it to New Bodhum, and to Fang to stop Ragnarok from a rampage of destruction. She knew if she could tether Fang back to reality enough, her form would change and Ragnarok would become dormant once more.

Peeling open her eyes, she lowered her fist back to her side and allowed her body to dash onward as quickly as humanly possible after the fiery beast. She was going to do anything she could to halt Ragnarok in it's tracks and get Fang back. It was bad enough she had broken her own heart and Fang's in the process, but if Fang reverted to her human form after Ragnarok had killed others or destroyed the village, the brunette huntress would never be able to live with herself. Lightning knew her well enough to know she'd carry that burden forever, and she wasn't going to allow that to happen on her watch. "Damn it," She cursed under her breath with a huff.

Lightning's determination allowed her body the will to move, the will to fight and press onward. Her heart thudded against her chest in a hasty fashion, while she darted forward. She would do whatever it took to stop Ragnarok, even if it meant throwing herself into the line of fire. Whatever it took to make the beast connect to it's humanity was all she needed, at least that's what the soldier prayed anyways.

_I love you too much to let Ragnarok consume you.._

Her legs gained more speed as the splashing of the puddles beneath her boots kept a steady pattern underneath her. Rain battered her body, wind causing the waters cold to be more apparent on her silky skin as it seeped through her attire. However, she didn't care. Nothing was going to remove Lightning's determined state of mind while she raced onward.

She caught a glimpse of Ragnarok's tail in the distance, pushing her body even harder than before while her breathing became the only thing that rang in her ears; it had even deafened the thunder that serenaded New Bodhum from the storm. Grunting lightly, she grit her teeth at the beast that tried to override her lover's body, and her sense of reason. The red and orange hues of the beast's body glared against her eyes as they focused on Ragnarok's back, while it kept a steady distance ahead of her. Once she reached her top speed, the roseate further cursed herself for not being able to keep up. Ragnarok was going to reach town before she could even get a chance to catch up. However, her steady pace didn't falter and her red cape flew wildly behind her, battling with the rain and wind that seemed to want to hold her back from her objective.

The very moment that raging beast had entered New Bodhum, everything broke into chaos. Most people fled every which way, while a few were too stunned to even more and could only stare at Ragnarok in all her fiery glory. Claws raked into the side of the nearby building, as she pulled herself onto the rooftop and let out a snarl at the people running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Steam rolled off her body with ease, with each drop that hit her heated carapace, producing wispy streams that trailed behind her as she moved.

Fang leapt from roof to roof, leaving craters in the buildings due to her sheer weigh and force of impact. A woman screamed, attracting the behemoth's attention, and brightly shining eyes locked onto her form. Flames flickered over her jagged fangs, as immediately after Ragnarok had jumped off the housing unit a ball of searing flame shot forth from her mouth. The older woman barely had time to jump out of the way, before the fireball exploded against the side of the building behind her - easily setting it aflame. The debris from the attack must have his the female, as pained cries escaped her while attempting to push herself off the grounds with her arms. She didn't get that far. Fang growled loudly, and smashed the back of her scaled hand into the lady, sending her flying to the far right of her. A heavy _thud_ sounded when she hit, accompanied by a nasty crack - signaling her back had broken on contact.

The pulsian would have cared; _would_ have done something to help that woman. But not anymore. Feral instincts were driving her every move, though somewhere in the crevices of her enraged mind… Whispering voices taunted, and poked at the beast from within.

**_Burn everything…_**

**_ Let nothing survive…_**

**_ Let them feel your anger, o mighty god of wrath..._**

**_ Destroy, destroy, destroy...!_**

**_Kill them all…_**

A guttural snarl ripped through the night, almost in compliance with those eerie voices only heard by the crimson beast. Talons dug into what was left of that wall, and soon she was scaling up towards the top - as it happened to be one of the taller buildings around the still developing town. The fire was rapidly devouring the structure within it's jaws, though the heat did nothing to hamper Fang's movements. The deep violet hued scales that covered her body now were heat resistant, and the flaming tongues easily rolled off her body like water.

With the beast long since out of her view, Lightning's feet finally brought her into town and she dashed through crowds of terrified citizens that were gasping and wailing in horror. Her eyes caught glimpse of a fiery building in the distance and she set her sights on that area as the target. Ragnarok had to have been near the crumbling building; there was no doubt in her mind. She stopped as she neared the building, noticing a few packed boxes for shipments stacked next to a home. Hopping onto them, she stood on the roof, gaining her a better view of her surroundings and it didn't take long for her to find the beast. Dashing forward on the rooftop, she leapt over to the next, the tiles of the roofing beneath her feet as she traversed them with ease towards the next explosion that sounded off. _Hang in there, Fang…_

Finally, she had managed to leap onto a roof the beast was near and Lightning knew her first priority would be to get Ragnarok away from the village. "Hey!" She called out to it, not a waver of fear in her voice. The sudden yell made the transformed pulsian stop, and glance down at the roof of the building to her left. Blazing orbs focused on the roseate's form. There was no indication of recognition, as Lightning was just another feeble human in her way.

The soldier lifted up a piece of the tiling from the roof and hurled it at the beast's back, successfully hitting it. "You want to play? Why don't you take on someone your _own_ size?" She taunted easily, an attempt at adverting it's attention before hopping off the rooftop right in front of the beast. She collected herself as her azure hues stared it down. "Come on!" She insisted, watching Ragnarok carefully.

Fang had been about to brush off the woman's presence, until she felt that tile break upon her back. It hadn't even hurt, but that fact she had dared attacked her earned her full attention. Pushing off the side of the burning building with powerful hind legs, Ragnarok twisted in mid-air and slammed into the spot Lightning had been just a second before. The force alone collapsed the wooden tiling of the room, and the beast fell into the small home.

A loud hissing sound soon filled the air, and the next thing anyone knew the house literally exploded into a column of fire. The clicking of claws against stone soon followed, and the brightly shining form of Ragnarok stepped out from the blaze on all fours. The clubbed end of her tail swung to the side angrily, and demolished what remained of the burning wall behind her. An angry shrill of a roar was aimed at Lightning then, right before Fang lunged at her, canines bared and claws ready to rend the very flesh from.

The woman the valkyrie knew and loved was just a mindless beast now, needing to feed it's need for destruction. She was too far gone, having succumbed to the despair a broken heart had wrought.

All because of one person.


	6. Chapter 6

A strong ping of guilt tried to wash over Lightning as she gazed at the feral creature before her, and the villagers shrieking nearby fled in horror. Lightning was well aware that Fang only ever turned into Ragnarok if she was pushed to a certain limit, and her emotions took over her entire thought process. She swallowed a lump that formed in her throat at the thought of their break causing such a commotion within the woman she loved. _I'm sorry, Fang. I hope you'll forgive me after this._ Her eyes remained steadied on the beast as Ragnarok came crashing down into the building she had previously stood atop. The structure rapidly turned into a pile of splintered wood and ash as a column of fire erupted skywards. The wind blew Lightning's cape furiously to the left, the rain beating her face as well as Ragnarok's as the behemoth stepped out from the shadows of the damaged structure.

While the rain washed over the creature, she watched as steam continued to rise from it's body, casting a hazy mist into the sky. The mist swirled, almost casting off an eerie feeling as it shrouded Ragnarok entirely. The rain was quite bothersome in also the sense that it made the ground slippery, and muddied which wasn't ideal for such a fierce battle that was about to take place. Lightning hoped she wouldn't have had to withdraw her gun blade. By all means she was going to try her best to stop Fang before it came to such circumstances, but knowing how dangerous Ragnarok was, there was no guarantee she'd reach the woman who sat somewhere deep within the feral behemoth.

The light from the nearby fires hit one side of Ragnarok's body while the shadows from another nearby structure engulfed the other half. However, as the creature stepped forward, Lightning stared eye-to-eye with Ragnarok while it remained on all fours. She didn't flinch and her pulse and breathing remained steady where other people all around her were erupting with freight. The roseate didn't allow the surrounding concerns to distract her from her target and her azure hues only focused solely on the blazing red eyes of the beast; they burned with intensity, flickering like fire themselves. She watched as the talons gripped at the ground, sinking into the dirt beneath them with ease. "I told you. You want to play then come play with someone who can keep up." She added, a small smirk toying at the right edge of her lips before she huffed a satisfied grunt.

As Ragnarok lunged at her, she used her swift feet to dodge to the left, taking a steady hop backwards as she did so and narrowly missed one of the talons catching her. An irritated howl filled the air around them, as Fang's form skidded across the dirt; claws digging into the ground and raking chunks of earth up. She shifted, righting herself up and turning to face the woman again - whom was becoming more of a nuisance than before.

"Not fast enough." Lightning taunted her further, knowing she had to keep her attention before she could even attempt to lure her away from the civilians. However, her attempt was interrupted by a woman and a man holding a young child in their arms. Lightning glanced over at them, watching as they scattered away, but the woman tripped with the baby, clumsily falling to the wet surface with a small thud. Ruby eyes narrowed when the lady hit the ground, the impact making the infant cry out in pain. Lightning's own azure orbs darted back to see that Ragnarok was also interested in the misguided couple.

_Shit._

Ragnarok moved to attack the defenseless humans. Except Lightning got in her way yet again, and resulted in her snarling angrily. "I thought I told you to keep focused on me?" Lightning spat, her words bitter towards Ragnarok. She loved Fang, and it was hard for her to come to terms that something like this was what would become of her if she had ever dealt with something that was overwhelming in her life. It felt almost as if Ragnarok was a curse; Lightning believed Fang deserved better than to be tied to something such as this wild beast. She was a strong believer in the huntress and her strength, but she was uncertain that she'd be able to get through to Fang and find that strength before all hope was lost. "Okay, if you're not going to listen…" The roseate trailed off.

Gaining a grip on the ground with her hand as she crouched, Lightning pushed off and darted quickly towards Ragnarok, pushing off the ground once more to propel herself above the beast, easily flipping over her and landing on her feet near the couple in question. She collected the woman and pushed them away from the danger. "_Go!_" She demanded, her voice stern towards the couple who had seemed startled with confusion.

The valkyrie had made one fatal mistake in her maneuvers however; she turned her back to the hate fueled beast that was now Fang. She reared back onto her hind legs, easily towering over the pink haired woman and those scurrying around them in fear. Lightly plated arms stretched out, illuminated partially from the raging fires that now tore through most of the village.

There was no warning.

Twisting her body around to the side, Fang swung her massive tail directly at Lightning. It connected, colliding with the woman's smaller frame and sent the female flying to the ground a few feet away. Lifting her head from the wet surface, Lightning spit to the side; her attire was not only drenched but also splattered with the gooey substance as was her face and skin.

The pair she had saved stopped in their tracks, casting worried glances to the one who had tried giving them time to flee. It was just another bad move made that night, one neither would live to regret. The fiery behemoth turned back towards them, and bellowed in rage. The steam rolling off her body increased, and the morphed and toughened strands of hair that ran down her back started glowing brightly - which would have been a lovely sight to behold, if it weren't for the fact she was highly dangerous.

A soft humming resonated throughout the clearing in the middle of New Bodhum, as the glowing parts of her body started to vibrate the very air. The once vibrant bloody red eyes of Ragnarok went solid white, and flames once more flickered upon her open maw. They had run out of time. A ball of pure fiery energy slowly formed, and was released in a powerful display of magic.

It was pointless to even inform the couple of running as Lightning lay there completely shaken with shock. The ferocious bellowing of the creature filled her ears, deafening her once more as she lay partially in defeat. Her focused hues had no chance to swivel over to the beast before a blinding light was glaring from the glowing behemoth and blinding her vision pool.

The fire ball rushed towards the couple, but as it honed in on them it split into three separate masses. Each one connect to the mud covered ground in a small circle around the pair, and the explosion that came next rocked the very earth they stood on.

Heat from the fireball radiated from the distance though it was not directed at her. Lightning tensed up momentarily, grasping at the ground and used her palms to rise; she stood in more of an angry stance this time. Standing sideways to the beast, her eyes fixated on where the fireball had been shot. The immense shroud of steam that had been left, dispersed after a few moments, and all that could be seen were the tattered remains of fabric - which were still slowly burning.

"_**Grrraaaaaawwwwwllllll!**_" The deafening roar could be heard for miles, a testament to the destructive force that was Ragnarok. All the flames covering the city seemed to bend to her will, and would easily burn the rest of New Bodhum down in the matter of a few hours if she wasn't stopped.

She had had it at this point; Lightning was about to snap. Using the back of one of her hands, her eyes swiveled over to Ragnarok as she wiped her face cleanly of the mud that lingered on her porcelain cheeks. The determination that swirled within the darkened blue orbs was stronger than before, her bones rattling within her as she readied herself to put this monster down. _It's Fang_. Lightning repeatedly reminded herself, that the one she loved was still tucked away somewhere in side that rage consumed destructive behemoth, but it didn't change the fact that she knew what had to be done.

Spitting once more, her gaze remained frozen as her body hummed with a confidence. She listened to the sound of her own breathing once more, focusing solely on the rising and falling of her chest and shutting out the chaos around the rest of the village. "You've got my attention. How about it's time I get yours?" Her tone was stern, not a tremble or a doubt underlying her words. She reached behind her back, her hand pushing into the depths of her trusted compartment where he beloved weapon sat. Her fingers found a grip on the handle before she whipped it out, flicking the blade open with one swift movement before raising it over her head.

_This is it._

_Game on._

Finally turning her body completely towards Fang's new form, her hues glossed over with passion and a will to fight. The same churning that began pumping through her blood before every difficult battle began to flow through her veins. She remained still, idly peering across the safe distance from Ragnarok. She wasn't going to go down as easily as that couple had, nor was she going to allow Ragnarok to kill anyone else as easily as she just had. Play time was _over_ and this is when the real fight began. Getting into position, she placed one foot forwards and safely tucked the other a bit back, taking the proper stance as she rose her blade above her head; as the moon peeked out of the darkened clouds briefly, it cast a glittering sensation on the steel of the shiny blade.

"Are you going to go first? Or am I?" She wondered, taunting the behemoth further. However, she no longer waited for the beast to gain an advantage and darted towards her once more.

The woman's voice made Fang turn her head, eyes narrowing even further at the fact Lightning just wouldn't stay down. She was like a pest, one that kept on coming time and time again, and didn't know any better to call it quits. Her taunts were working more so now though, and Ragnarok turned fully to face her once more. Eyes were locked onto her form, and watched her every move even when she came in for a quick attack.

The roseate dashed from side to side, quickening her steps as she tried to confuse the beast of her movements. Where she found an opening, she readied her sword but still didn't have the courage to slice through the scaled skin of Ragnarok. "I know you're in there.." She huffed out, speaking more to Fang than Ragnarok this time. A growl was all Lightning got in response to the words Fang could no longer understand, before attempting a side-swipe with razor sharp claws. Lightning dodged the oncoming attack, deflecting the second claw with her sword before hopping backwards to a safe distance once again.

Again, the roseate moved in for the attack, but she was just a bit quicker this time. Not a moment of hesitation consumed her, as she whizzed past Ragnarok and used her steel blade to pierce the skin on the side of the beast. She created a shallow wound at best but it was hopefully enough to gather more of Ragnarok's attention before she smirked and continued to dart away from the village. "-Come and get me if you can!" Lightning tempted her, her speed a steady pace. She wasn't going to speed off too fast, because she needed to make sure the behemoth was following close behind.

The beast dropped to all fours then, roaring defiantly at the woman who was once her lover. Her side stung some, but it wasn't enough to deter Fang from trying to rip Lightning into shreds. The scent of blood clung to the dampened air, as a little trickle of the red-orange liquid rolled down her slashed carapace and down the to dirty ground - mixing in with the water underneath her. Even her blood was like molten fire, and turned the puddle into a searing hot, bubbling mess that could easily burn the skin off even the most toughened man's body.

A very pissed shrill sounded from deep within her chest, as claws were flexed at raked at the ground. She watched her prey sprint away through the storm, but that had been her second mistake this night. Lightning may be extremely agile from years of training and honing her skills, but even in her Ragnarok form… Fang was just a bit faster. She sprung after the drenched female, bounding through the torrent in a zigzag formation.

Racing forward, the guttural shriek of a pissed Ragnarok was rumbling the earth beneath her feet. As the flame bodied beast roared, it was as if the ground carried the shock waves towards her before they came into contact with the balls of her feet and shot up her legs. _Gotcha_. Lightning knew she had successfully reclaimed the attention of the furious behemoth and she allowed the tiniest of smirks to fill her lips as further focus poured over her face. It was going to be intense but internally she would never give up until either the beast ceased to be a threat, or until her own demise lay before her. However, she wouldn't quickly become written off like another human being; she was Lightning Farron and she'd be damned to not carry her name with pride.

She knew she had gotten in a lucky shot, and her luck wasn't going to continue to carry her through the entire battle that had yet to really begin. Lightning sped onward, her heart pounding in thuds loud enough to rattle her core as she was once again pelted with the rain water. It was becoming tedious to dash through such weather, but the most important thing was to lure away the fuming creature from the townspeople. Ragnarok had already caused enough destruction to the town, and Lightning would have no more of it. Her body moved with a fierce aura revolving around her, unshaken or unyielding as she scurried towards a clearing. Her cerulean orbs flickered back momentarily as she sped up, fully aware that the enraged beast was now gaining on her. _That's right. Come to me, girl._ She knew she was playing with fire - _literally_ - but she couldn't risk another innocent getting caught in the cross-hairs of their dispute.

Gaining momentum wasn't difficult for Ragnarok, especially in the rain, and soon she had nearly caught up with the fleeing roseate.

Closer…

Closer…

Even closer, until she roared and in one swift movement slammed her thick tail against the ground - sending her airborne, and flying right over the woman's head. Lightning's beryl eyes briefly caught a glimpse of Ragnarok taking an enormous leap above her, the flamed beast hissing as the rain cast mist into the night air after it had propelled itself ahead of her. The whirring of the wind as Ragnarok jumped collided with her back and threatened to overwhelm her legs but she pressed onward, her gaze not faltering from the beast for even a moment.

Fang hit the ground a couple dozen feet ahead of her, skidding to a halt and using the force to spin herself around. Watching as the earth splattered with the skidding form, Ragnarok seemed to be unscathed by the small incision Lightning had previously made to her side. A stain of red-orange blood seeped out of the wound ever so lightly, before the molten substance dropped onto the earth and created a small crater from the heat. This was going to be a dangerous battle, and Lightning was fully aware of the smoldering flames and the beast's ability to decompose of her existence within seconds if she wasn't careful.

A low growl passed over rough lips, as carmine orbs glared straight into the cerulean ones she had once loved so much - but now showed nothing but disdain, and hate. If Fang had retained some control over her change, then perhaps none of this would have happened. People wouldn't have died, and over half of New Bodhum wouldn't be drowning in a sea of flames and steam.

It was ironic, the nature of Ragnarok. Completely opposite from the huntress, like two sides of the same coin. Where one had loved, protected, and cherished all she had in life, the other was eager to destroy and rip apart everything she once held dear.

Just like right now.

Lightning wasn't going anywhere, as far as her feral side had anything to say about it. Pushing her during her human form was one thing, but invoking the wrath of Ragnarok's stature was flat out moronic. The beast kept it's gaze upon her former lover, while her tail waved around in the air wildly - more of a weapon now than most would even realize.

This was going to be a fight to the death, and only one was going to walk away with their life.


	7. Chapter 7

Lightning had to be completely concentrated with this encounter, and not one single thought of remorse or guilt could hinder her ability to fight. If she allowed one small thought to disrupt her concentration, she would be left open and vulnerable to attack. The rest of New Bodhum began to melt away, as her world became just the two of them in the opening against the downpour and screaming thunder. As she peered onwards at the creature, her orbs were met with those fiery eyes once more. The fuel behind Ragnarok's ruby enraged hues only fueled her own will further, her own eyes sparkling with a focus. This is what Lightning lived for; the fight meant _everything_ to her. While this would be one tough battle due to the circumstances surrounding the confrontation with Ragnarok, she eased her pain and shoved it to the back of her mind as her entire being shook with her immense will to end this.

It was an intense stare down, with both sides sizing the other up and not willing to move. Lightning eventually took the initiative and struck fast - just like her namesake. Raising her blade once more, lightning struck from the clouds that hung lower to the plains than she had noticed. It burned brightly, momentarily emitting a bright light that showed just how trained her stance was as she charged the beast, her expression blank but completely fixated on the target.

The beast met her move head on, swiping a powerful paw at her side. Fang barely missed, and bellowed in her rage as the woman side-stepped into a safe distance away. Using her free hand Lightning cast a thundara spell, her hand sizzling a light purple hue as she launched into the air and aimed it towards Ragnarok. It wouldn't do much, but it was a good distraction much like the gun on her gunblade.

Fang moved to counter attack, rearing up and lunging with both clawed hands stretched out. The electrifying bolt that met her halfway caused a pained roar. Ragnarok fell back to all fours, shaking itself violently as if it would rid herself of the lingering paralyzing effect constricting her muscles for the moment. The magic itself didn't cause serious harm, due to her toughened scaly hide, but it _had_ hurt. Tendrils of purplish crackled and fizzled, jumping effortlessly from the hardened strands along her back - the only remnants from the l'cie's attack.

Lightning twisted her gunblade over after the thundara spell had cast completely, and rained a few bullets down in the direction of the enraged beast, sidestepping out of the way once more before taking a swooping hop backwards. She had to stay one step ahead of the behemoth always; she _had_ to.

The sounds of gunfire were drowned out by the rain and thunder, but the couple explosions that erupted in Fang's side nearly knocked her back and off her feet. Three bullets had lodged themselves above her last wound, being deep enough for more molten liquid to gush out. Loud hissing and thick clouds of steam sounded from the ground, as more of the flaming beast's blood ate through the earth like a sharpened knife cutting through flesh. Fang staggered and leaned her weight into her right side, but only for a brief moment. She was extremely pissed now, the sharp stinging pains in her side only fueling the urge to destroy everything - starting with Lightning.

The air being inhaled by Ragnarok turned into a crimson hot stream of flames, much different from the previous times the roseate had witnessed. The slightly wounded behemoth was gathering energy from it's open maw, causing a rapidly growing ball to form and it was aimed directly at Lightning. Before she had a chance to even interrupt the attack, Fang had unleashed a barrage of smaller fireballs at her and everything within a few feet radius of her position. Unlike her homing balls of flame, these didn't seek out a target and instead just imploded whatever it collided with enough heat to cause some very nasty burns.

The soldier took her stance and prepared herself for Ragnarok's response. The fireballs that spun in her direction were the equivelent of bullets from a semi-automatic; they were rapid and destructive to anything that got caught in their path. The roseate dodged a few, her sword deflecting a couple before they sank into the earth and steam rose from the small holes in the mud. However, three were aimed perfectly at her, Lightning flipping over them just in time while one she had nearly escaped and two managed to burn perfectly shaped holes through her cape as it lowered momentarily beneath her while she was airborne. Landing on the muddy surface once more, she ducked and side-stepped once more to dodge a few more oncoming fireballs that were not homed in on her but still just as deadly.

While the female was busy dodging and reflecting most of her previous attack, Fang reared back up on her hind legs and assumed her full height. The air slowly started vibrating once more, though the entirety of her body joined in the bright glow this time around. Inhaling as much air as she could, the beast would pause momentarily before breathing out a wave of fire hotter than even the blood running through her veins. Dried grass and other native pulsian plants were devoured by the spouting flames, and the very ground scorched despite the rain that bombarded the scene around them.

During this whole process, the beast stalked forward towards her prey; the shadows produced from the embers dancing eerily off her form. To most inhabitants of the decimated town, the vision alone would have sent chills down their spines, as she looked pure evil.

Or rather, _was_ pure evil and twisted to the point of no return.

The glowing of the behemoth blinded Lightning briefly, but she tore her gaze away to begin a zigzag pattern as she fled from the fiery wave that threatened to consume her if she were to stand idly in the path. Darting and just missing it by the tiniest of margins, she propelled her body to the side, her cape again catching the brunt of the attack as it singed at the end. Her knees lowered into the mud before her body skid through the slippery substance. Lightning readied her trusty gunblade once more, rapidly shooting a few more bullets in Ragnarok's direction. Rising from the ground, her legs dripped of the earth, while the rain managed to wash away a portion of the mess.

Ragnarok was approaching her on her hind legs still; a sight that would have had many shaking in their boots or praying for a quick and painless death. Lightning remained unshaken as her orbs scanned the behemoth for any openings. Her pink locks slapped against the back of her neck since they were plastered to her skin from the downpour. Swiveling her blade out once again, she readied it in the palm of her hand.

Her cerulean eyes watched as Ragnarok continued to stalk towards her, and she took her chance at rushing the beast once more but quickly casting a blizzara spell, watching as large shards of ice appeared to surround Ragnarok. The molten blood that dripped from the behemoth's wound, and the intense heat that radiated from the beast caused for the ice to melt within mere seconds but this gave her an advantage; it caused a thicker haze to surround the beast before she shrouded her own form into the mist. Her eyes traced the confused figure, and with her sword at the ready she leapt at the opportunity to get a good hit in.

She was going to need a lot more willpower to finish Ragnarok off but Lightning had hope that Fang was still somewhere deep within the scaled skin and the raging ruby eyes. Clenching her jaw momentarily, she finally spoke up.

"**_Fang_**! If you can hear me, I'm begging you to stop!"

However, she was met with a fierce claw that gripped at her small form; the talons digging lightly into her skin and penetrating her attire. She struggled to be free, her gunblade clattering to the ground in an instant. There was a sense of bestial satisfaction that emanated from the great beast, once the agile little pest had been hooked by her claws and pulled into her grasp. As much as Ragnarok wanted to just rend the flesh from this human, something more pulled at her to make Lightning suffer for the annoyance of chasing her around; and marring her hide with cheap tricks. The very ends of her claws dug into that beautiful porcelain skin, causing faint burn marks to appear from the heat rolling off the tips of blazing ivory.

The more the valkyrie struggled in her hold, the tighter it became.

Snapping her fingers once again, another powerful thundara spell began but this time in the center of Lightning's free palm before she brought it crashing down onto Ragnarok's arm. Fang hadn't been expecting the damned woman to keep fighting, and ended up howling in agony when the shocking magic pulsed wave after wave of pain through her arm. Hissing and snarling soon accompanied the action, and Fang was on the verge of crushing Lightning in her hands… But paused for a fraction of a second, pleading hitting her ears for the first time.

"Fang! _Please_!" Lightning urged, her cry pleading in desperation. While her body battled the tight grip, she used the strength in both her arms to pry open the claw that held her entire being. Freeing herself, Lightning fell to the earth once more but her clothes now carried small tatters; reminders that Ragnarok had held her in one of those deadly paws. She leapt into a roll, reaching for her weapon once freed.

Shining carmine orbs darted between Lightning and her discarded weapon, and the beast leapt from her spot to land right above where the gunblade rested in the watery mud. With ease, Fang flicked the weapon away with a swipe of her mutated hand, sending the piece of metal even farther from the woman's reach; directly behind the very being she wished to stop. The playing field was evening out, as both contenders we're partially wounded - though in being disarmed, the Farron was going to have a harder time defeating Ragnarok now.

Lightning gave one last desperate reach for her weapon only to be stopped with another ravage shake of the earth, as Ragnarok hurled itself between her and the only thing she had to fight with. The slight burns that had sizzled her skin pained her, her face wincing ever so slightly before she clenched her jaw again. The rain cascading against her wounds only allowed for an intense reminder that she had gotten too close to defeat; the drenching of the burns stung as if a wildfire had consumed her body. Her attire being tattered allowed for more wind to slap against her skin, her body suddenly filled with the cold of the night storm. The soldier's determined hues stared at the discarded blade, her instant reaction was to move back but she didn't. Instead, she came face to face with the monster, the behemoth towering over her small figure again.

A small jolt of pain shot through the upper part of Fang's arm, and the creature winced involuntarily. The last attack sustained had left electric burns that had charred the flesh in wild streaks, and the water falling from the sky did little to ease the discomfort she felt. Gnashing her bared fangs in the air, the sense of hate buried inside pushed her onward and to ignore the wound as best as possible.

Prowling forward, Fang slowly circled the crouching Lightning; tail swaying through the air and at the ready should she even think about trying to get around her form.

It was another stare down, neither of the pair willing to back down from the other. Still, it didn't stop the grating voice of Ragnarok from playing against the blowing wind and rain, making the distorted laugh seem as twisted as her form itself. As Ragnarok bared her fangs and eerily cackled into the night, Lightning fixated on her objective; first and foremost was to save Fang now that she had managed to catch the full attention of the behemoth.

The Farron watched as small fumes pushed in and out of Ragnarok's nostrils, the steam apparent in the blackness of the night. As the sky flickered above with intense flashes of lightning, it would have been clear to an outsider looking in at the disadvantage she had over the beast; their difference in height casting silhouette shadows along the earth. Instead of retreating, Lightning merely stared down Fang, her gaze not faltering as she took a small crouch to the ground, her mind began to race with different directives as to how to go about retrieving her weapon.

_I can't rush this. _

_One wrong move is all it takes and I'm finished.._

Her eyes flickered, watching the movement as Ragnarok prowled, and she waited for an opening as the massive tail the creature had warned her not to move. Lightning was never one to heed such warnings, but this time it was different and she needed to stay one step ahead of the game. It was not in her to fall back, but she knew she was overpowered with nothing to go on as long as her blade sat in that puddle of sloshed earth.

Rippling muscles flowed elegantly under marred and bloodied skin, making the crimson beast seem more feline-like as it closed more of the gap separating them. Wary cerulean eyes met Fang's fiery rubies, right before a boom of thunder shook the air violently. As if almost a signal in itself, she charged at Lightning using the weight of her body to propel herself forward.

Dashing backwards and then to a quick right, she gave herself enough breathing room for Ragnarok to crash head on into the ground; another shockwave of power shaking the earth while her opening to reach her weapon became clear. Lightning's heart raced with anticipation as those few mere seconds it took to dart back to her gun blade were more than she should have wanted to spare. Shaking her head, Fang growled, flinging the mud that clung to her face everywhere. The flat ended club of a tail flailed around behind her, ramming into a nearby tree and sending it toppling over in half; after having sensed Lightning running by - most likely to retrieve her lifeline.

Glancing back, Lightning hastily cast an aero spell, a fierce whirlwind crashing down into the earth before Ragnarok as it splashed the rain more fiercely into her. Another boom from a fallen tree caught her ears, and some of the surrounding leaves rose with the whirlwind she had just spelled in the behemoth's direction. The flames of the creature easily turned the crackling leaves into ash once they fell upon the darkened skin.

The smell of burnt bark and leaves permeated through the area, as ember ridden claws dug into the tree from where she was lurking now. Fang hissed in irritation, as flames trickled out from the holes being burned into the wood. The fallen tree was being eaten alive through it's innards, and as the fiery beast pulled it's upper half over the trunk the blaze had intensified. To one beholding the sight, it would feel as if some vision from hell. Flames rose and flickered in the night air, while the rain pouring down produced a wall of steam that tangled itself in with the raging fire.

At one point it even appeared that Ragnarok had been completely engulfed. Her head slowly pushed through the shroud of smoke, embers, and steam - wisps of the glowing element rolling off her face unnaturally. Narrowed eyes honed in on Lightning, just as soon as she had gotten hold of her weapon once more. The woman was more than persistent in her pursuit to stop Fang, but neither did Fang have any intentions of giving up anytime soon. Front clawed hands soon met the watery mud, while hind legs hopped over the still slowly burning pile of the ruined piece of nature while Ragnarok glared daggers at the woman.

Lightning's palm graced the handle of her blade, allowing her to return it to her possession before she flicked some of the mud off of the steel. Feeling more confident again, she spun to face Ragnarok; this time at a safe distance. Snapping her finger once more, a fizzle of electricity swelled within her palm before she reached over and transferred the power to the cool metal steel, watching as the blade danced with the purple strands.

The crackling of the electricity filled her ears while the rain allowed for the magic to continuously bounce around the steel. Her azure orbs raised once more before she strode forwards, taking Ragnarok head on; she allowed for a battle cry to escape her throat where it had been deeply buried before. Swiftly managing to thrust her blade forward, she watched as the beast blocked with her bare claw, the electricity transferring onto the scaled sensitive skin. The electric magic succeeded in burning into the softened flesh of her hand. "**_Grrrrraaaaarrrhhlll!_**" Fang roared in agony, while attempting to slam her other set of claws into the woman's side in retaliation. She missed, but only barely.

Retracting her weapon, Lightning rolled to the side, striking one of Ragnarok's legs with the fierce steel before the electricity worked at the behemoth's limb. Lightning knew she needed to weaken the beast before she stood a chance and she had learned that going for the legs was always the best bet when faced with something that was more immense in structure and power.

The nasty gash ran from below Ragnarok's knee up to her thigh, and the lava-like blood wasted no time in seeping through the recent injury. Fang's leg gave out under her weight, and she went toppling over onto her side. There was an attempt at pulling herself back up, to finish this battle, but no matter how many times she tried she failed. Her hind leg was practically useless now, and finally after several tries she stood once more; though favoring her other limbs now, as the crippled one was held close to her stomach, folded up to stay out of the way.

There was no way Fang could use her speed against Lightning now, not with that mangled leg. She snorted angrily, inhaling the stinging air and exhaling a puff of smoke. By now the cold water had extinguished the flaming log, whose outer layers had burned away. And as she backed into them, a toothy grin was flashed at the roseate.

Lightning's blade fizzled out just then, the electricity ceasing from the metal before she took a few paces back and watched the beast warily. The cerulean hues traced every inch of Ragnarok's body, trying to hone in on any other weakness that she could air out into the open of the battle. The wood that singed behind the beast had completely fallen apart except for the innards, any sign of life in the tree was completely melted and charred. The smell of the burnt earth littered the air despite the overpowering smell of rain water. Droplets of rain threatened to overtake her vision pool, but she remained relaxed and grinned in satisfaction to herself; though she knew not to get too comfortable just yet.

Without so much as a warning, that thick tail came crashing into the ground from a sideways swing, and sent one half of the broken tree hurling in the Farron's direction. The action was repeated again, a little less fluid in motion from the pain coursing through her body now, but still a strong hit nevertheless. Colliding with the ground, the first half splintered into a billion tiny pieces on contact; but the other half was still flying through the air in Lightning's current direction.

Playing fair had only ever been in the huntress' rule-book and didn't extend towards her primal form. Her tail was an extension of herself, and not to be taken lightly or brushed off.


	8. Chapter 8

A part of Lightning remained guilty.

If she had left her emotions alone as she was used to, she would probably not be in this situation currently; with the love of her life threatening her very existence.

She took a few breaths, remembering to breathe as she raced to come up with a way to snap Ragnarok out of her form. Lightning wasn't able to think for too long, before she noticed the sneering grin appear on the beast's face; those ruby orbs meshing with the azure spheres as they were laced with amusement. There was no warning as the creature's tail hurled a chunk of the broken and burned bark in her direction. Crouching on one knee to guard herself, Lightning raised her arms to shield the small of her curled up body. The worn down soldier braced herself for the contact with the splinters. Gasping rather loudly, her mouth gaped open in pain. The splinters dug into her frail skin, shredding minor injuries along her arms and her leg that had been exposed in the small huddle.

Deep blue orbs gazed upwards at the sound of a whipping tail once more. Another piece of bark was closing in on her, and she had no time to move. The charred bark collided with her figure, forcing her backwards with a fierce propulsion before she clattered on the ground. Gripping on the mud eagerly, she pushed through the pain; through the heart ache and staggered to her feet. However, her legs began to feel weak from the harsh contact she had made with the ground. The weight of her body was more apparent, and slowly she glanced at her shoulder. The plate she usually wore was cracked, a deep and jagged split apparent in the material. Using her free hand, she tore it from her attire, throwing it on the ground with a soft _thud_, her cape billowing in the wind before it too settled on the wet ground. To think of it, she had too much weight strapped onto her body and with that thought, she hastily undid the pouch strapped to her thigh before reaching for the compartment she usually held her blade in.

Lightning tossed both of them into a pool of mud as well, freeing herself from such barriers.

All she needed was her gun blade to win this fight.

As she shed some of the articles, she felt the splinters piercing her arm further and she looked at her left forearm. The fiery splinters had embedded into her black sleeve that shielded three fourths of her arm. She peeled off the blue glove and then the sleeve, also ridding her body of those items. Unclipping the buckle that sat around her bust, she loosened it momentarily so she could breathe easier. This fight was beginning to drain her but she wasn't stepping down just yet. Finally, her loose hand rose to the zipper of her tan half sweater, unzipping it enough to reveal her glowing l'Cie brand that rested above the rise of her breasts. She concentrated on it for the power within herself, clasping her eyes shut momentarily.

Wary slitted eyes had watched Lightning strip herself of the unneeded items, the crimson beast attempting to figure her next move - or better yet, find an opening to get in another attack while she was distracted. Even as crippled as she had become from the attack received, Fang was too stubborn to back off from the roseate. Her agility had been severely cut though, and analyzing the woman ended up being her last resort.

The white hue eliminated of Lightning's brand grew brighter, piercing the darkness before it mixed with the blinding orange hue of the enraged behemoth. Engulfed by the light, she slowly began to rise in the air. The lightning clashed around her as if it were surrounding her due to her branding.

Lithe muscles tensed under scaly marred skin, twitching in anticipation when Lightning's form started to ascend towards the swirling black storm clouds. The strange blinding light made it impossible for Ragnarok to keep rack of where she was, and all the bolts of electricity produced a loud hissing sound equal to that of the rain bouncing off her hide. There was another flash of thunder then, and with it came the unexpected. Talons dug into the rattling earth, as a tremor rocked the whole area before another bolt came crashing into the ground.

Once her eyes popped open, a deeper blue resonated within them. Lightning's orbs glistened with a focus before she rose her free hand into the sky, the electricty from the storm reacting to her idle arm before she swung it in Ragnarok's direction. The earth suddenly shook violently as lightning from the black clouds crashed onto the ground, splitting open the earth where it clashed with the surface. The deadly bolts were headed towards the beast's location and her hues glistened further, piercing the dead of the night as if she were the brightest light on the planet.

Fang barely had enough time to dodge the first one by hopping a distance to the side. She wasn't so lucky with the second one though, and soon a inhumane shriek rumbled through the clearing against the earthquake.

It had hit her with tremendous force, especially considering how weak her body had become through the scuffle. She stumbled from the blow, though only barely keeping her footing as her head was shaken to get out of her little daze that had clouded her mind. Somewhere deep inside and under all the urges to kill and burn; the huntress subconsciously noticed being addressed by those whispering voices once more, and as a result Ragnarok's head lifted to glare death at her former lover. Gleaming ruby hued orbs narrowed dangerously when Lightning screamed, though the creature being confused at the display of renewed energy flowing through the woman.

But two could play that game.

"Fang," Lightning's voice sounded less human, her tone laced with assurance. "This ends _now_." With that, she rose her blade once more, still airborne the element from the sky shocked the blade before it circulated through her body.

A faint scream passed her lips before she all out wailed. Her lips quivered as the lightning resonated within her blood stream, accelerating her heart beat; her lungs filling and depleting even faster than before. "_Ahhhh!_" Her yell was carried for miles across the plain distance, deafening the thunder before the illuminated purple hue ceased from her body, and she sank back towards the ground. Blue optics fell upon Fang once more, she didn't need to use her hand to direct more bolts in her direction because her eyes seemed to carry enough power within them without using her limb. Those deep cerulean hues now glistened with a violet as they beat intensely across the space at Fang. Her body rushed in every direction, the storm above resembling the inward clashing that shook her core.

While the beast may have been immune to flame damage of sorts, Lightning wasn't done using the sheer force of electricity on the monster that had claimed not only her significant other but also her best friend. As the rain water slapped against her body, the purple hues tendrils radiated off her porcelain skin. The wounds that tattered and damaged her body still stung, but the amplified power surging through her veins overrode the pain with ease.

Lightning watched as Ragnarok stumbled back and tried to regain herself. The older Farron also took note of how the creature had seemed slightly dazed after she had called out Fang's name. However, there was one thing Lightning wasn't expecting and that was that Ragnarok was going to go all out just as much as she. The cries that left the beast were guttural once more and fiercely dominative against the roaring clouds that hung low to the battle field.

Fang arched her back and raised her head towards the sky - letting loose an ear shattering howl of sorts. At first there were a few tiny sparks, coming around the edges of each of her wounds. But then, cracks joined in and spread through her hide like wildfire, leaving a web of thin lines behind. The behemoth dropped her head once more, clenching her jaw while concentrating rather hard. "_**Grrraaaahhhhh—!**_" Roaring as loud as the thunder above, she bared fangs at Lightning the same moment her wounds erupted into fire all over her body - covering her from head to tail, though her underbelly remained as smooth and as untouched like before. Flames burst and crackled in every direction, and created a glimmering spectacle of red and yellows all over her body. The pinkette's violet orbs studied every aspect of the behemoth, watching as the molten fire seemed to create a type of shell across her body.

The soldier knew that this fight was coming to a halt, as both competitors seemed to be resulting in last resorts. Her gaze only fixated further with determination as her brow narrowed at Ragnarok, noting that her underbelly was completely untouched by the protective casing of her form.

_Hmph. _

While her heart screamed not to hurt Fang to the point where she wouldn't survive, her mind told her that in such a dire situation the rest of life would be at stake should she fail this one task. Fighting to save Serah had been hard enough but the thought of possibly slaying the one person she had ever grown to love challenged her level headed mind process and provoked a hesitant feeling to wash over her senses. Keeping her blade down, she watched and waited, before picking the perfect time to lash all fury upon Ragnarok.

_It was finally time._

The final showdown between the pair had come, and only one would walk away alive. Both had mustered up whatever bits of energy were possible for their final attacks, and now stared each other down intently. Ragnarok snarled - the sound distorted by the flames consuming her body - and charged at the pinkette. In one fluid motion, despite the apparent limp she had, the beast managed to leap into the air with flaming claws extended.

Lightning had little to no time to worry about the stakes stacked against her, as the beast made one last desperate attempt to overrule her sure victory in this fight. Her eyes never faltered when Ragnarok leapt forward, deadly talons ready to pierce her flesh and finish her off. In an instant, her eyes flashed a bright violet hue as strands of lightning shot into a protective shield before her. Lightning crouched just in time as she had anticipated the lunge and watched as the beast got caught in the electric web she had produced from her power; her l'Cie branding glimmering once more. Taking the opportunity, she finally rose her blade for the final blow, urging her arm forward though her body shook with disagreement as she did so. Her limbs seemed paralyzed as the blade came into contact with the slick underbelly before she grit her teeth. The valkyrie's eyes began to sink back into their natural cerulean blues while she watched the slow demise of her lover.

A pain growled tried escaping the moment that blade had stabbed through her, but was immediately overwhelmed by the blood gushing out from her fatal wound - with more trickling out from the corners of her mouth. The beast was faintly aware of a burning sensation the following moment, with molten blood and stinging air meeting vital organs that had no protection.

The roseate could only idly stand by as Ragnarok hung over her blade and quivered in pain. The vibrations of the creature shook her entire form and a sickening feeling twisted in her gut. Lightning thrust her trusty weapon harder into the behemoth, her teeth clenching further as her body began to grow faint. The flickering electricity from her body shot up her arm and through her blade, rushing into the opened wound as molten blood began to drip down the cool metal; a crackled sizzling apparent in the wind when the lava like blood mixed with the sizzling sparks.

The remaining electricity that had illuminated across her skin seemed to fizzle out, as her hues quickly changed into sadness; despair lingering behind them. Lightning watched Ragnarok succumb to her attack, her orbs glossing over slowly in a blank manner. Releasing the weapon from the frail underbelly, she withdrew it in a hasty fashion and staggered a few steps backwards. She had suddenly lost the will to fight as her gun blade fell into a puddle of bubbling mud, her fingers slipping off the handle with ease.

She had won the last attempt at victory, yet everything inside of her was telling her she had lost.

Fang staggered backwards on her haunches once the blade was withdrawn, and then collapsed onto her side with a heavy thud that sent a small vibration through the battle scarred earth. Just as the flaming warmth that kept Ragnarok's body aflame, so too did the potent blood that had mixed in with water and dirt alike rapidly cool and become lifeless.

The icy wind caught in Lightning's throat, threatening to stop her heart from beating as it chilled her form. Her grit teeth finally loosened and stumbling back another step, she watched the beastly form slump into the sloshed earth. Exhausted, she allowed defeat to take over her body, her legs buckling under her weight as she too sunk to the earth on her knees. Her cold and misty azure orbs watched the crimson hues begin to fade, the fiery body beginning to flicker and cease with the rain.

The last sign of life from Ragnarok's body, was the slight twitch of her tail and a heavy sigh that seemed to expel the last of her life. Soon the faint rumbling of the dying storm was the only sound left, other than the last few drops of rain falling around them. Minutes passed without a thing happening, almost as if the whole of Gran Pulse had fallen silent solely for the moment.


	9. Chapter 9

Slumped over in the mud, Lightning's shoulders caved with the rest of her upper body. Her back tightened, and her head softly hung in distress at the rapid sight of Ragnarok taking her last few breaths. Palms lay flat against the mush of the ground's surface, her fingers clamping onto the slippery material while she tried to fight for air. Her chest felt compressed, and her heart was breaking all the same as it had earlier in the night once again. Jagged breaths pushed in and out of her mouth by force, while her cerulean hues took in the beast's final gasp for air.

One last twitch of the creature's tail sounded quietly against the ground, and she knew it was over. Blue eyes twitched momentarily while she blinked away the tears that threatened to over take her vision. She had beaten Ragnarok by the smallest of margins, as her body was living proof that she had nearly missed death herself; bruises and gashes blemished her skin, while her entire form filled with exhaustion.

The silence that cast over the battlefield was eerily still, and even with the continuous beat down of the rain, Lightning's entire focus was on the still body that lay before her. She stifled back a sob that managed to escape her tense throat while her fingers dug into the earth further.

Before she was able to completely meltdown there was a sudden burst of cracking sounds in filling the air. A faint glow surrounded the defeated form of the fiery beast, and the huntress' brand appeared once more upon her shoulder - having burned away the scaled remains once there. There were light popping, cracks, and other disgusting sounds as Ragnarok's body distorted and caved in on itself. And then, in a bizarre flash of warm light, every bit of toughened flesh disintegrated, drifting away in the remnants of the storm's gusty winds. Once the cloud had dispersed, the battered and bloodied form of the real Fang lay in it's wake; flopped onto her side facing away from Lightning.

The brunette's locks were plastered to her head as her back faced the pinkette. In an instinct, the valkyrie reached out towards her, though retracting her hand quickly in a timid fashion.

A soft groan sounded, and the brunette's body shifted, painfully to roll onto her back. Dulling viridian eyes barely managed to peek out from behind heavy lids, while her gaze was lost in the moving clouds above.

She already knew what had happened, as even in letting Ragnarok take over completely the pulsian could still see what was going on.

Guilt weighed her down, just as much as the blood loss did.

She had _killed_ innocent people, who had never wrong her, and even attacked and hurt the one she loved most.

Weakly lifting her left hand, fingers felt along the torn sari across her chest, until the familiar warmth and feel of blood was felt. The wound itself couldn't be healed with magic - nor even a potion would be potent enough - and it was pointless to even think about it at this point. Fang brought her lightly shaking arm to her face, and studied the liquid on her fingertips that was hers, and hers alone.

Her gaze turned to the roseate slumped against the ground a few feet away, eyes then softened and desperately tried to communicate an apology to her other half. Would Lightning even forgive her for the horrors committed under the beast's influence? "—_Lightning..?_" It came out as a strained whisper, while lungs battled to keep oxygen flowing into her dying body.

Lightning's blue orbs twitched once more but this time in shock, as pangs of guilt began to swim within her stomach. She forced herself off the ground, her palms using all the strength within her arms to rise from the muddied surface. She stumbled, losing all sense of balance and in what seemed like minutes, she trudged through the mud to kneel next to Fang; her knees resting in the mud once again. Eyes widening, the pinkette took in the damage the blade had caused to the huntress and her figure; a pool of blood collecting beneath her tired body.

She scrambled to collect Fang's face in her hands, her fingers tracing the gentle skin that sat beneath the pads of her fingertips. "Don't.." Using a single index finger, she brought it to Fang's lips, hushing her in a soothing manner. Tears began to pool in the corners of her eyes, and she could no longer hold them back with all her might. Rapidly they sank down her cheeks as she slowly pulled the weak huntress onto her lap; the woman's head and part of her upper body resting against her very cold legs.

As the rain came to a slow, the tears streaming her face burned and were more noticable in the still night. "Fang.. I.." She breathed out, unable to find any sense of reasoning and unable to collect any words.

There was no warmth to comfort her on this day, during this very moment. Lightning was just as drenched, cold, and battered as she was, minus the leaking gash in her stomach. But, despite all that had occurred in the last few hours, Fang couldn't help but feel relieved while being enveloped in her love's embrace. Even if it would be her last, she felt no remorse over such things. The huntress was sure she deserved this fate, after murdering innocents and burning most of New Bodhum down to the ground. But perhaps the worst thing was breaking Lightning's heart… Though she still knew she had done nothing wrong, there was a heavy pang of guilt at the fact she had come off so untrustworthy for her to believe such lies in the first place.

Still, cracked lips up turned into a faint smile, and very faint laughing could be heard under Fang's breath. "Light.. I.. It's fine.." She managed to choke out, her body still resisting the urge to shut down completely. A bit of blood was hacked up, racking her already weak body with agonizing tremors. Yet still, that tiny smile did not waver one bit despite all the pain she felt.

She had been prepared all her life to die; for her home during the war, for Vanille all the times she had ever been in danger… And now finally for Lightning, to protect those who couldn't protect themselves during her rampage.

Was this atonement?

Possibly, and she mused to herself that the world really was an ironic place. There was no disdain for Lightning though, and all she felt for the woman was the love she had harbored for such a long time..

And happiness, that it had at least been her lover to put her out of her misery.

The soldier could feel the heaviness of her significant other's body against her own exhausted bones. She knew the heavy feeling meant there were only mere moments left before the brunette would be gone from this world. Her fingers gripped a little tighter onto Fang's body, her sobs no longer stifled as she peered into the virdian hues she had always loved; they brought her peace, clarity, happiness, and now they were dulled over in defeat. The cerulean color of her own orbs was dull with heart ache, and her stomach was wrenching and churning in a sickening manner. Clutching onto the pulsian's body, she struggled to relax herself enough so that Fang didn't have to see her in this state before her life passed before her eyes. "_Fang_.." She tried again, though her words were caught in the back of her throat.

Lifting that same hand from mere moments before, rough fingertips brushed over the skin of Lightning's cheeks - succeeding in brushing a few tears away, though leaving streaks of her blood in their place.

Lightning leaned her face into Fang's touch. Using her free hand, she brought it over the other woman's, clutching onto the bit of warmth that sat beneath her fingertips. Her eyes showed sorrow, while her face etched with apologetic features. Despite her attempts to save Fang before Ragnarok had fully consumed her, the soldier felt feelings of failure sinking into her blood stream.

"Don't… Don't say it.. Okay? It's not ya fault.. It's mine.." There was a disturbingly long pause, though Fang had merely closed her eyes and enjoyed what little time she had with her partner.

She listened desperately to the other woman speak, and while Lightning had tried to hush her before, she coughed out a tiny laugh at the brunette's stubbornness in listening. What should the pinkette have expected from Fang?

As a small pool of blood came out of her lover's mouth, she leaned in closer to the huntress, allowing her to speak quieter since every waking second she was growing weaker. "It's not… you're not… fine.." Her voice was small, an uncontrollable sob riddling her words once again.

"It's_ not_!" Lightning demanded finally, her voice almost shrill while it remained small. "I shouldn't have ever thought that you…" She couldn't even bring herself to say it, despite her eyes urging Fang to understand just how sorry she was.

So many words and thoughts crossed Fang's mind, though she didn't even know where to start. She wanted to apologize a hundred times over, thousands even, if it would help ease the roseate's heart. Mossy eyes opened once more, much duller than before, and stared back up at the woman holding onto her for dear life. Her body heaved slightly, and Fang could tell it wouldn't be much longer until it gave out on her.

She needed to get things off her chest while she had the time, and only after making eye contact with Lightning, did she finally speak . "..'m glad it was ya.. Yanno? That stopped me.. from hurtin' more people.."

Watching carefully while the brunette forced to keep her eyes open once more, Lightning gently pressed her forehead into Fang's, her own eyes shutting briefly as she did so and nuzzled her nose ever so carefully in a loving manner to the brunette's. She pulled away to peer down at her, the small splashing of her tears colliding onto Fang's body beneath her. Her pulse was rapid and uneven and the pinkette knew she'd not be able to keep herself so collected much longer. "I never wanted… I didn't _want_ to have to stop you like this." She admitted, honesty underlying her words. Despite Ragnarok destroying a good portion of New Bodhum, she would have wanted this to end on a different note; a note where Fang would still co-exist in the same world as her.

There was another pause from the pulsian, as she struggled to get the air needed in her lungs. There was still more for her to say; more to apologize, and beg forgiveness for. "I swear on my love for ya, and my clan name too.. I didn't.. do anythin' with Vanille.. I'd _never_ do that to ya, Sunshine.."

_Sunshine._

The word hit Lightning like a bulldozer, knocking the wind right out of her while her chest began to heave for oxygen.

Nodding her head more, she clutched Fang's face once more, bringing her fragile lips to the side of the brunette's forehead. She had been wrong all along, and it was obviously written in Fang's eyes that she and Vanille had been nothing more than what she had tried to convey before all of this happened.

"I believe you," Lightning whispered, her face remaining close to the huntress for another moment. Her eyes lingered on Fang's chest, watching it to brace herself for the woman's final moment. "I love you, Fang. I always did.." She choked back a sob. "I _always_ will."

The little gesture of affection was needed, it pushed away the pain assaulting her mind and replacing it with warmth and comfort. Even when she was close to dying in her lap, Lightning still showed her just as much love and affection, if not more. It did leave Fang feeling regretful.. Leaving her love alone like this, possibly to be plagued every day after that she had dealt the killing blow. There was no time to voice her concern over such things however, as she could clearly see the blackness creeping in on her vision.

The ragged breathing of her partner was clearer with each passing second. As the moments seemed to tick slower it was like time stopped while Lightning watched Fang's departure. Thankful for the woman for keeping her face close, Fang used the last bit of energy she had to tilt Lightning's face. A small kiss was pressed against those porcelain lips she loved so much. Fluttering her eyes shut, the soldier's own lips welcomed Fang's and returned the tiny kiss; trying to convey as much love in such a small kiss as she could. Pulling her face back ever so slightly, Lightning peered down at the huntress quietly.

"—I'm… glad ya do, Sunshine. I can rest easy.. knowin' that ya still love me after what I did.." Fang could barely even get those words out, before another nasty fit of coughing racked her form. With those view words, that weight on her chest seemed to be lifted and her smile widened by a fraction. "I love ya too though… Ya know I do, an' always will.."

Nodding her head, more tears collected into the corners of Lightning's azure orbs; every second her eyes traced Fang's last movement. She listened to the woman speak of resting easy and she nodded her head in agreement once more. "I know.." Lightning insisted, though she knew she'd carry the death of Fang on her shoulders for the rest of her living days. Her gaze remained fixated on the brunette's, her eyes catching one last glimpse of love behind those beautiful orbs.

Jade eyes stared into their azure counterparts, as the last little spark seemed to dissolve into nothingness. A whisper on her lips was the last thing that would hit Lightning's ears.

"_…See ya on.. the other side, Claire._"

She offered one last small grin to her lover, trying to comfort her in her last moments as best as she could. Clasping onto the pulsian, she listened to her last words; hanging on to each as it was spoken. Without being able to form any of her own, her hands began to tremble as one last cough shook Fang's body and a few small breaths later her breathing had slowed to a complete stop. The hand holding onto the pinkette's cheek slowly lost it's hold on her skin, and fell limply to the pulsian's side a moment later.

The huntress had finally succumbed to her wounds, and quietly slipped from existence in her beloved's arm.

More tears overtook her vision before her arms gripped the fragile lifeless body. Lightning hugged her close momentarily, despite the woman already departing from this world. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you…" She uttered, her voice nothing but a whisper now. The pinkette cried over the woman for the longest, allowing her tears to freely flow in rapid succession as she tried to force as much of the pain out of her being.

Once she had managed to get a better hold of herself, she gently laid Fang's body down to the earth. Using all the power within herself, the pinkette finally tore her gaze from her deceased love, and her gaze fell upon her lifeless blade and cape. Lightning managed to stagger over to them despite the hot tears that still occupied her eyes. She collected the two items in her arms and returned to Fang, laying the cape over her lifeless body in a gesture for peace. Flicking open her blade, she rammed it into the earth point down next to the love of her life; a gesture she had done for fallen comrades or soldiers while in the Guardian Corps.

However, Fang was not just a fallen comrade or soldier; she was the only woman Lightning would have ever loved and cared for as deeply.

Shutting her eyes for a moment of silence, she stifled back the sobs that needed to find the hidden depths of her throat again. Fang would want her to be strong and the rosette knew that; she would live as strong as she could for the rest of her life. Standing idly in the plains, she sniffled a few times before finally turning on her heel.

It took all her willpower to walk away from Fang, and to leave her there where she lay.

Briefly stopping in her tracks, she turned her head over her shoulder before speaking, "See you on the other side, Fang.." Lightning husked out, as strongly as she possibly could. Her azure orbs gave one last loving glance before resuming her walk onwards; facing the dark of the night alone, her cape billowing in the slight breeze as it protected her loved one in her eternity rest.

* * *

**Author's notes**: So, there we have it... The battle is over, and Lightning barely managed to survive her encoutner with Ragnarok, but with the price of losing Fang..

Or did she?

The story is just beginning..

To find out what happens next, look for the sequel: As The Rush Comes.


End file.
